Which Asian Countries Fingerprint Visitors
Oct 1, 2013, 9:24 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 580
Which Asian Countries Fingerprint Visitors
Does anyone know which Asian countries fingerprint visitors and/or require other biometric information? I was trying to determine whether Hong Kong, Singapore, Shanghai, or other major transit airports require this, as well as whether one can transit through these airports without providing this.
Oct 1, 2013, 11:24 pm
#2
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Seoul (ex-SYD, LAX, SIN)
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If you're transiting and you're staying airside (not leave the airport as you're waiting for another flight), then for most airports no fingerprinting is required (as you don't need to go through immigration). Shanghai and mainland Chinese airports would be different (I imagine) since they need a visa.
If you're going landside (i.e. leave the airport for a few hours/days), most will require a fingerprint (again, mainland Chinese airports will require a visa as well). On my experience, certainly SIN/HKG/ICN/NRT do.
If you're going landside (i.e. leave the airport for a few hours/days), most will require a fingerprint (again, mainland Chinese airports will require a visa as well). On my experience, certainly SIN/HKG/ICN/NRT do.
Oct 2, 2013, 4:26 am
#3
Join Date: Jul 2007
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Posts: 5,304
If you're transiting and you're staying airside (not leave the airport as you're waiting for another flight), then for most airports no fingerprinting is required (as you don't need to go through immigration). Shanghai and mainland Chinese airports would be different (I imagine) since they need a visa.
If you're going landside (i.e. leave the airport for a few hours/days), most will require a fingerprint (again, mainland Chinese airports will require a visa as well). On my experience, certainly SIN/HKG/ICN/NRT do.
If you're going landside (i.e. leave the airport for a few hours/days), most will require a fingerprint (again, mainland Chinese airports will require a visa as well). On my experience, certainly SIN/HKG/ICN/NRT do.
Oct 2, 2013, 11:15 am
#5
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I've been in SIN five times in the past two years, and never once have been fingerprinted.
Oct 2, 2013, 12:36 pm
#6
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Washington, DC
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Based on recent experience for non-transit entry:
China: No (visa does not require fingerprints)
Hong Kong: No, unless you sign up for E-Channel
Singapore: No
Malaysia: Yes (both index fingers).
China: No (visa does not require fingerprints)
Hong Kong: No, unless you sign up for E-Channel
Singapore: No
Malaysia: Yes (both index fingers).
Oct 5, 2013, 9:25 am
#10
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Louisville, KY, US
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Never been printed at PVG either.
Japan and Malaysia are the only two I'm aware of at the moment. I've entered China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, and a few other Asian nations in the past few months. Just standard arrival and departure cards while Indonesia requires a Visa (For US citizens) or a Visa on Arrival.
While unrelated, it's possible to travel to either PEK or PVG/SHA without Visa for short stays upto 72 hours.
Both PVG/SHA and PEK have a 72 hour Transit Without Visa program which allows a stay within Shanghai or Beijing for up to 72 hours. One must check if ones passport/nationality is part of the program, but it's good for US citizens.
There's a couple of rules which must be strictly adhered to to do this. You must be "transiting" one of the above cities from one country directly to another country on the same ticket.
For example - HKG - PVG - DTW with a stay of up to 72 hours in PVG is a valid routing. HKG-PVG-HGK would not be valid as you are returning to the same point. DTW-PVG-SEA would not be valid either as you're returning to the same nation. A routing such as HKG-PVG-PEK-SEA would not be valid either as you're touching two points in China, thus not proceeding directly to a 3rd country. I use HKG only as an example as I've done a HKG-PVG-DTW transit staying in Shanghai without a visa.
In my case I flew in on China Eastern and out on Delta (all on same ticket).
You must also have a hotel booked/confirmed. This information will be collected in advance at check-in and sent ahead. When you arrive in either PVG/SHA or PEK you will be given an entry permit good for 72 hours. You must stay within the respective city - i.e. you cannot enter and then leave the city of Shanghai or Beijing, even if you will be less than 72 hours.
This program allows visitors transiting one of these two cities a visit for a short stay. I believe a similar program is also in place or being setup for Guangzhou.
SDF
Japan and Malaysia are the only two I'm aware of at the moment. I've entered China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, and a few other Asian nations in the past few months. Just standard arrival and departure cards while Indonesia requires a Visa (For US citizens) or a Visa on Arrival.
While unrelated, it's possible to travel to either PEK or PVG/SHA without Visa for short stays upto 72 hours.
Both PVG/SHA and PEK have a 72 hour Transit Without Visa program which allows a stay within Shanghai or Beijing for up to 72 hours. One must check if ones passport/nationality is part of the program, but it's good for US citizens.
There's a couple of rules which must be strictly adhered to to do this. You must be "transiting" one of the above cities from one country directly to another country on the same ticket.
For example - HKG - PVG - DTW with a stay of up to 72 hours in PVG is a valid routing. HKG-PVG-HGK would not be valid as you are returning to the same point. DTW-PVG-SEA would not be valid either as you're returning to the same nation. A routing such as HKG-PVG-PEK-SEA would not be valid either as you're touching two points in China, thus not proceeding directly to a 3rd country. I use HKG only as an example as I've done a HKG-PVG-DTW transit staying in Shanghai without a visa.
In my case I flew in on China Eastern and out on Delta (all on same ticket).
You must also have a hotel booked/confirmed. This information will be collected in advance at check-in and sent ahead. When you arrive in either PVG/SHA or PEK you will be given an entry permit good for 72 hours. You must stay within the respective city - i.e. you cannot enter and then leave the city of Shanghai or Beijing, even if you will be less than 72 hours.
This program allows visitors transiting one of these two cities a visit for a short stay. I believe a similar program is also in place or being setup for Guangzhou.
SDF
Oct 5, 2013, 10:02 am
#11
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Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
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Never been printed at PVG either.
Japan and Malaysia are the only two I'm aware of at the moment. I've entered China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, and a few other Asian nations in the past few months. Just standard arrival and departure cards while Indonesia requires a Visa (For US citizens) or a Visa on Arrival.
While unrelated, it's possible to travel to either PEK or PVG/SHA without Visa for short stays upto 72 hours.
Both PVG/SHA and PEK have a 72 hour Transit Without Visa program which allows a stay within Shanghai or Beijing for up to 72 hours. One must check if ones passport/nationality is part of the program, but it's good for US citizens.
There's a couple of rules which must be strictly adhered to to do this. You must be "transiting" one of the above cities from one country directly to another country on the same ticket.
For example - HKG - PVG - DTW with a stay of up to 72 hours in PVG is a valid routing. HKG-PVG-HGK would not be valid as you are returning to the same point. DTW-PVG-SEA would not be valid either as you're returning to the same nation. A routing such as HKG-PVG-PEK-SEA would not be valid either as you're touching two points in China, thus not proceeding directly to a 3rd country. I use HKG only as an example as I've done a HKG-PVG-DTW transit staying in Shanghai without a visa.
In my case I flew in on China Eastern and out on Delta (all on same ticket).
You must also have a hotel booked/confirmed. This information will be collected in advance at check-in and sent ahead. When you arrive in either PVG/SHA or PEK you will be given an entry permit good for 72 hours. You must stay within the respective city - i.e. you cannot enter and then leave the city of Shanghai or Beijing, even if you will be less than 72 hours.
This program allows visitors transiting one of these two cities a visit for a short stay. I believe a similar program is also in place or being setup for Guangzhou.
SDF
Japan and Malaysia are the only two I'm aware of at the moment. I've entered China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, and a few other Asian nations in the past few months. Just standard arrival and departure cards while Indonesia requires a Visa (For US citizens) or a Visa on Arrival.
While unrelated, it's possible to travel to either PEK or PVG/SHA without Visa for short stays upto 72 hours.
Both PVG/SHA and PEK have a 72 hour Transit Without Visa program which allows a stay within Shanghai or Beijing for up to 72 hours. One must check if ones passport/nationality is part of the program, but it's good for US citizens.
There's a couple of rules which must be strictly adhered to to do this. You must be "transiting" one of the above cities from one country directly to another country on the same ticket.
For example - HKG - PVG - DTW with a stay of up to 72 hours in PVG is a valid routing. HKG-PVG-HGK would not be valid as you are returning to the same point. DTW-PVG-SEA would not be valid either as you're returning to the same nation. A routing such as HKG-PVG-PEK-SEA would not be valid either as you're touching two points in China, thus not proceeding directly to a 3rd country. I use HKG only as an example as I've done a HKG-PVG-DTW transit staying in Shanghai without a visa.
In my case I flew in on China Eastern and out on Delta (all on same ticket).
You must also have a hotel booked/confirmed. This information will be collected in advance at check-in and sent ahead. When you arrive in either PVG/SHA or PEK you will be given an entry permit good for 72 hours. You must stay within the respective city - i.e. you cannot enter and then leave the city of Shanghai or Beijing, even if you will be less than 72 hours.
This program allows visitors transiting one of these two cities a visit for a short stay. I believe a similar program is also in place or being setup for Guangzhou.
SDF
As for #2, you can touch as many points in China as your heart desires if you can be out within 24 hours.
For #3, a hotel booking is not required... only proof of an onward airplane ticket to a different country.
Oct 5, 2013, 10:19 am
#12
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That said, I've never seen Immigration in China ask for the details, but they can and probably do at least occasionally. I always book a US$10 Super 8 and then stay somewhere else. No sense in making life easy for the Chinese security services.
Oct 5, 2013, 10:19 am
#13
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: BKK/SEL/YQG
Posts: 2,543
Korea does fingerprint foreigners on arrival (not transit).
When they implemented this, foreign residents with a registration card, who used to be able to use the Korean Passport queues, now have to use the regular tourist queues (can take nearly 5X as long as the Korean PP queue) because they need to now get finger printed...every single entry... It's stupid since they already fingerprint to issue your residency card.
When they implemented this, foreign residents with a registration card, who used to be able to use the Korean Passport queues, now have to use the regular tourist queues (can take nearly 5X as long as the Korean PP queue) because they need to now get finger printed...every single entry... It's stupid since they already fingerprint to issue your residency card.
Oct 5, 2013, 11:05 am
#14
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Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,036
However, it IS your responsibility to register with the PSB (either on your own or via a hotel) within 24 hours of arrival (72 hours in rural areas).
On the arrival form, I typically populate the "intended address" field with "Hyatt" because it is the shortest hotel name I know of... until the W's start operating, that is.
Oct 6, 2013, 2:17 am
#15
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Louisville, KY, US
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Regarding bolded point #1, you can fly in on one ticket and out on another.
As for #2, you can touch as many points in China as your heart desires if you can be out within 24 hours.
For #3, a hotel booking is not required... only proof of an onward airplane ticket to a different country.
As for #2, you can touch as many points in China as your heart desires if you can be out within 24 hours.
For #3, a hotel booking is not required... only proof of an onward airplane ticket to a different country.
The above was guidance provided to me by the Chinese Embassy in the US but is only applicable to the 72 hour transit where you enter the either city and stay for upto 72 hrs.
At check-in, China Eastern completed a form with my lodging information.
Upon arrival at PVG, additional forms were completed by authorities documenting my hotel along with departure flight indicating I was departing in under 72 hours. Only then was I given a "Temporary Entry Permit" in my passport (without Visa) and then stamped in to China and allowed to proceed via Customs and out.
SDF